Save Me
by dArkliTe-sPirit
Summary: It can take just ONE accident to ruin your life...


Oh, boy, well, hey everyone, before you go further, please note the genre of angst and the T-rating - oh, and note this: I don't own anything. I swear. So you can't sue me for writing this (sweatdrops)

In the same retrospect, I don't own BLoSC - so no suing for that either. I apologize for the OOCness in here, I really do. But the idea refused to go away, I'm sorry!

You're still here? Thank you! Now, I'll let you read the story.

* * *

"...and, BLAMMO! The place went BOOM! And that, my friends, was how the greatest space ranger of all time died," the storyteller finished in his slurred voice, standing on the table. He wept as the people below murmured in disbelief. "Now, my friends, I say we all have one big toast to Buzz Lightyear, whether you hated the guy or not." The storyteller raised the mug, full of beer. "To Buzz Lightyear! Rest in peace, pal." The crowd repeated, clinking their mugs and bottles before taking a large swig, as did the storyteller. 

Up by the bar, one person stared in disbelief at the storyteller; not because of his tale, but because of his identity. She never dreamed of seeing him again. This was the last place she would've looked for him.

"Um, excuse me? How much has he had?" asked Mira of Star Command, her question directed to a customer. The alien shrugged, replying, "Who knows. He's been here for a while though. Been coming for a few weeks now." Mira groaned, looking up as he started doing a little jig, mainly due to the alcohol he had consumed. Which brought up another question: how can a robot get drunk?

Yes, it was XR on the table, mug in hand. Dents and rust covered his body. The Star Command logo was gone, painted over. Occasionally, an appendage jammed up, lacking oil. His LCD-screen eyeshad never been dimmer. The once neurotic, strange Space Ranger was just a hollow shell of who he had once been. All because of Buzz's death. Mira remembered too clearly what had happened...

It was two years ago. Zurg had taken several delegates hostage, locking them inside his tower. Fleeing, he had left a ticking bomb behind. XR had tried to disarm the bomb while Mira, Booster, and Buzz helped get the delegates out. As XR nearly finished, Buzz landed behind him, about to tell him everyone was now safe. Then, the robot ranger slipped. His scissors cut the wrong wire - and Mira and Booster witnessed the building explode in a mushroom-shaped cloud.

Fearing for the two, Mira and Booster ran over to the site - and a ghastly horror greeted them. Buzz was no more; the biggest piece they could find was part of a hand. XR had been more or less totaled. Collecting his (XR's)parts, they went back to the ship, where the delegates waited, and flew back to Star Command. There, the LGMs patched up XR as best as they could, while Mira and Booster broke the bad news to Commander Nebula.

Of course, the first thing their boss did was call everyone together, and they had a memorial service for Buzz. Then, Commander Nebula called XR to his office...

_--_

_Mira and Booster winced as they heard Commander Nebula yelling and cursing, most likely directed at XR._

_"Gee, do you think XR will be ok?" Booster asked worriedly, wincing as he heard a chair being thrown._

_"Who cares? Booster, he's the reason Buzz's dead!" Mira retorted, rolling her eyes. Right now, she was too mad to think straight. Booster thought about replying - but decided not to. He had learned never to argue with Mira._

_After less than a minute, the sounds ceased. Then, quiet sobbing was heard. There was a slam and a thump. A few seconds later, XR silently went down the hall, tears leaking out of his eyes. Booster stood up from his seat._

_"Hey, XR, are you ok?" he asked. Mira didn't say a word. Most likely, Commander Nebula had just yelled at him, reduced him to janitor duty, and that was it. Still, she was surprised when XR shook his head._

_"D-dad said h-he didn't want t-t-to lose s-someone else because of m-m-me," he sobbed. Booster and Mira exchanged confused looks before Mira said, "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"HE FIRED ME, OK! I'M NOT ALLOWED HERE ANYMORE! I'M GONE! KAPUT! SAY BYE CAUSE THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER CHANCE! I'M JUST A PIECE OF SCRAP METAL TO HIM NOW! HE DOESN'T CARE!" XR started bawling loudly. Not that Mira could blame him. Yes, Buzz had been an excellent Ranger, but was it really fair to make XR the scapegoat? "XR-"_

_"DON'T CALL ME THAT! I'M NOT A RANGER ANYMORE! I'M JUST A HUNK OF METAL THAT DESERVES THE SCRAP HEAP!" Before Mira or Booster could voice their opinions, XR activated the rocket booster, and was speeding down the halls. Mira and Booster exchanged glances._

_"Do you think we should go after him?" Booster said. Mira thought, then shook her head no._

_"I don't think he meant to fire XR. Once he cools off, he'll get him back," she explained. Booster looked nervously at her before nodding in agreement._

_--_

As it turned out, Commander Nebula had meant it. In the report, Buzz's cause of death had been listed as an accident by a robot. XR vanished that night, his few possessions gone. Commander Nebula made it clear that no more robot rangers could be built, and so much as mentioning XR was cause to be yelled at.

For the next few months, Booster and Mira had kept an eye on the scrap heaps and on junk sellers, checking to see if XR had decided to scrap himself - the robot equivilent to sucide. Thankfully, he never showed up. Slowly, XR faded out of their minds. Now, Mira had earned several promotions, an intergalactic hero and partner of Ty Parsec. Booster now trained younger Rangers, he too an intergalactic hero. Still, they occasionally kept an eye out for XR.

Which brings us back to our current story. As Mira watched XR, she realized he had really let himself go. No longer keeping up good maintainence, he truly was starting to become fit only for the junk heap. She doubted that he had even attempted to find a new job, instead preferring to drown his sorrows in beer. What had happened to the old XR?

_He died the day Buzz did,_ the tangean thought sadly. She looked up at him.

"Hey, XR!" she called loudly. XR stopped the liquor-induced jig, pausing to take that in. Then-

"Ok, we're looking for XR! Anyone seen him?" he shouted, his slurred voice heard in every corner of the bar. Mira groaned, phasing through the crowd up to the table. XR immediately noticed her, saying, "Wow, someone actually came up to me! Got a name?"

"Just get off of there," Mira growled, grabbing the robot's arm and yanking him off the table, dragging him through the crowd, amid his protests.

"Hey what're ya doin'? I was havin' fun with all my friends! I wanna go back!"

"XR, you're not going back. You're drunk out of your mind!" Mira hissed as she finally dragged him out, "So don't make me shut you down!"

"Oh, please, do it. I can't figure out how to do it myself." XR grinned lopsidedly, causing the Space Ranger to sigh. "Now, do I know you?"

"Yes, I'm-"

"Oh, from where? That place? Maybe some junk shop? I've been to a few."

"No, I'm-"

"Maybe we dated?" He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"No you sexist pig!" There was a lull in the conversation as XR's eyes widened, a tiny spark appearing.

"...what was it? Mari?"

"No, Mira. Mira!" Mira groaned. Well, she couldn't blame him completely. Part of it was the beer. Which still made her wonder how a robot could get drunk. She paused only to glare at him - and noted the small fangs. "How long have you had those fangs?"

"Since that vampire ran into me..." He chuckled, borderlining manaical. "He's not bothering anymore robots..." Mira paused, thinking, before realization dawned on her. She shuddered at the idea. Still, it did explain why there hadn't been any sightings of Nos-4-A2...

"Look, I'm taking you home."

XR stared in confusion. "D-dad's letting me c-c-come back?" For a moment Mira stopped, now outside her ship. What did he-

Wait. Besides Star Command, he didn't have a home? He had been wandering the galaxy, no job, no friends, no home? No wonder he was drinking. Mira had a feeling she would the same.

"No, but I'm taking you home anyways," she said, entering the star cruiser, still dragging XR. XR's lopsided grin became bigger before he slurred, "You're a good friend, Mira." He yawned as his LCDs dimmed to black. Then, he started making quiet snoring sounds. He had fallen asleep. Standing up.

Mira strapped him into a chair before she blasted off, course set for Star Command. She doubted XR would remember this when he woke up. He was drunk, after all. Maybe she could leave him-

No. Leaving him somewhere else was not a possibility. Besides, then if XR remembered, she would have failed him.

XR mumbled something involving the words "Buzz", "angel", and "Mira". Mira smiled. She would help him back on his feet. No matter what.

After all, that's what friends do.

* * *

Well, if you intend to flame me, (points up at first author's notes) I warned you, so you have no right to flame me! Constructive critcism is great, don't mind it. Would actually love it. But, if you're reading this, you're bound to reviewing it. So, there's the little purple button... 

(packs up everything and jumps on a plane heading to Canada)


End file.
